Noah Addis/The Star-LedgerA Washington-based watchdog group has filed a complaint against U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-1st Dist.) with the Federal Election Commission, charging he misappropriated campaign funds for personal expenses.

TRENTON — A Washington-based watchdog group has filed a complaint against U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-1st Dist.) with the Federal Election Commission, charging he misappropriated campaign funds for personal expenses.

Basing the complaint largely on a Star-Ledger report about Andrews’ campaign spending, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) accused Andrews of misusing campaign dollars to take his family on a “luxurious trip” to Scotland for a donor and volunteer advisor’s wedding, to pay for part of one of his daughter’s high school graduation parties, and to support his other daughter’s career as a pop singer and actress.

While maintaining that he did no thing wrong or illegal, Andrews said last week he would donate the $9,000 he spent on the Scotland trip to a fund for homeless veterans. Most of that money had paid for three nights for his family at the five-star Barlmoral Hotel in central Edinburgh.

“Rep. Andrews keeps getting caught with his hand in his campaign’s cookie jar,” said Melanie Sloan, the group’s executive director. “He seems to think he can break the law until he’s caught, and then avoid any consequences by paying the money back. It’s time for the FEC to stop this repeat offender, and send a strong message to candidates not to use other people’s donations to feather their nests.”